Sportswear giants Speedo have taken a break from smuggling budgies and started down the path of smuggling bloggers to court as it’s revealed they’re unhappy with one Australian blogger who’s “using their brand name in vain”.
Speedo are suing Dave Evans, 24, for his website (found here and please note some may find the content offensive/funny) which is said to jeopardise their “substantial and valuable reputation” and “goodwill associated with the name and trademark SPEEDO”. Since its creation in 1914 in Bondi, Australia, Speedo has become a household name and one of the biggest sportswear companies in the world. Their swimwear is so well designed, there have been claims that they’ve offered an ‘unfair advantage’ to Olympic competitors wearing their designs over those of rival brands. And while this wasn’t enough to dent their reputation (mostly because the claims were outlandishly absurd anyway), you have to wonder whether this latest move was particularly well-advised.

Handling negative content online is a dangerous minefield of potential catastrophes in itself, as addressing detrimental media incorrectly almost always exacerbates the situation. Speedo have gone from having a website which features their product in a rather questionable light, to having potentially thousands of websites talking about the original negative content as the story is picked up by newspapers, television, radio, online news sites and other blog based websites as well. So not only have their actions brought an audience to this website which far surpasses anything it would have achieved independently, but they’ve also created a David vs. Goliath perception of corporations picking on the little guy. A position Evans has solidified by insisting he can’t afford to fight the lawsuit. He also says that even though he owns a suit, not a tie and he could not possibly attend Federal Court in Australia improperly dressed.

The internet is what it is, and there’ll always be somebody saying something positive and there’ll also be people airing their opinions that go the other way. How you handle the negative content is a far bigger issue than having the negative content around to begin with.

Speedo are trying to control their brands in the same way that some alcohol companies recoiled from an association with rappers who extolled their products in videos and songs. Remember how upset BMW were when they discovered that aging Beemers were often called “Black Man’s Wheels”! Brand owners are having to learn that in the hyper social world you cannot control how your customers connect with your brand or use your brand. Imagine if Campbells Soup or Brillo had taken Warhol to court for his use of their brands in his art. In the end Cristal celebrated its relationship with black music and built a new and very profitable angle on their business. You cannot help feeling that Speedo’s attitude has more than a little homophobia about it. Would they have done the same if the pictures were of nubile young women?

Were Speedo within their rights to challenge the blogger about the nature of his website (and their trademark/brand)? That’ll be for the courts to decide. If Speedo were within their rights – and if they had a case for legal action – does that necessarily mean it was a good idea?

Generally we advise against court action against bloggers, and the circumstances have to be pretty extreme before you should even consider it. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself with a lot of publicity and attention that doesn’t necessarily agree with your position and, like with Speedo, the content you’re wanting removed will be granted a far larger audience than it’d otherwise be getting.

Check out our top 10 list of things NOT to do in reputation management here.

Reputation Management services has become a key aspect for almost all companies. This dynamic service is coming to be regarded as a major boon for all businesses, brands, individuals and products who were victims of this so called reputation crisis. Your company’s reputation might be immaculate at present, but one can’t predict when the situation turns around.

Reputation management services might be something new, but in such a short span of time it has proven its mettle and has got recognition globally. From politician, sports personalities, celebrities, companies to doctors have all embraced it as yet another aspect or PR. It can’t be denied that many companies and brands are benefited with the effective tools of reputation management. No matter its a small business or a Fortune 500 company, reputation management service is meant for all.

It is debated that, the results of these reputation management services comes gradually and not in a haste. Well, to bring your reputation up is a systematic process needs patience, as this is a sensitive area. To promote a brand or key phrase and to optimize it correctly asks for time, and to further push down the negative results and at the same time bringing up positive contents needs a concrete strategy and proper allocation. Meanwhile the use of a pro-active SEO campaign is a smart way to bring up your brand image and reputation in search engines.

Many companies argue that, its really pain staking to sit and watch all negatives about the business, even after resorting to these reputation management services, but they have to understand the sensitivity of the issue. Reputation management campaign works as a process and it slowly weaves a positive image for your brand, making sure the credibility of your brand or company is never lost.

How it works :

After analysing the position of the company online, with the help of the articles, web pages, blogs and  pictures, the reputation management plan is designed.  After judging your present status online and by knowing how people perceive you, the repair works of your online reputation starts off.

As we all know ‘Google’ does an index of new pages fast, so by publishing blogs, web pages and articles about your company we can bring the positive side of your business. As your page gets cached by Google, you can work more stringently to rank those pages on the top searches. It can take a minimum of six months to get the results, but at the end of the day you are satisfied with what Google is coming up with about your company or brand . You have more control of your reputation and that makes all the difference!

Tiger Woods apology and press conference yesterday went off without a glitch except for a couple of nervous stops in the beginning. He tried to talk about everything a reporter would have wanted to question him. His mom was present and his wife’s family, he even thanked Accenture, and the golfing community for understanding the timing of his apology.

The read out speech asking for atonement, telling the Paparazzi to stay away from his family and saying he was sorry thrice was all very well.

In celebrity reputation management terms, Tiger did all that he needed to do, touching upon spirituality and Buddhism and his therapy and the millions of kids who idolized him – he said it all!

But I wasn’t moved, there were tears and he touched on all aspects, yet watching it one was left with questions of how it seemed only rehearsed.

• This is a man who was an expert in leading a double life and perpetuating a holier-than-thou persona off the golf course.
• The Tiger brand thrived on his presumed golden image – the star with no faults –  a star like no other.

The extent of the damage on the Tiger Woods brand to me seemed more evident yesterday in the public apology. Again we are not talking about the golfer Tiger Woods but the brand which projected him as the ideal on and off the field.

Tiger is definitely not out of the woods yet, with his problems or image, the public still feel cheated and only time and a phenomenal comeback in the game can really solve this.

Conclusion: For now this ‘mea culpa’ can be only termed as the tiniest step in rebuilding his brand. The golfing circuits need the Tiger brand back and up; after all he is the one who brings in the crowds!

The White House seems defensive and even apologetic to a growing number of people in the US and they are growing in numbers. The Tea Party Convention is the most striking example of the culmination of anti Obama views. This is a very large group of people against the healthcare plan and the large amount of taxes they are being charged by the Obama government.

Quick to ride the Tea-Party wave is Sarah Palin, who with her appearance as a speaker at the convention, made it clear she has her sights set on the presidency. Palin has been clawing her way out of bad press,  planning out her candidacy  after resigning as governor. She has penned a book and is now a political commentator on FoxNews and the stage was set at the Tea Party Convention when she said…

“This is about the people, and it’s bigger than any king or queen of a Tea Party. And it’s a lot bigger than any charismatic guy with a teleprompter”

Palin took a dig at Obama at the tea party convention and has even gone on to say if its right for America she is ready to run for President in 2012.

“Now a year later, I got to ask the supporters of all that, how is that hope-y, change-y stuff working out for you”

Statements from Palin, quite like the ones used during election campaigns.

Bad press continues: The speaker’s fee of $100,000 paid to Sarah Palin has been in the news and Palin has claimed it does not go to her but to her party’s campaigning fund but this had been dogging her. Other news reports talk of how involved her husband Todd Palin has been in the Alaska governance.

Sarah Palin is simply great bad press material, sometimes ridicule and most importantly great NEWS! One thing’s for sure Palin is everywhere and there she will remain for a long time to come.

As for the Democrats, it will be unwise on their part to take her lightly, the US has elected movie stars like Regan to the White House and even the first mixed race President in Obama, so could a woman be far behind? ?

If Obama bungles up on the healthcare program and the national security issues and continue to remain on the defensive chances are Sarah Palin is right there to take his place.

For now even the Tea Party Convention don’t want her as their leader but in the times we are in, the Democrats better be wary even though Sarah Palin may seem like no Margaret Thatcher or Indira Gandhi!

The Sarah Palin brand chugs on and she as a politician is building up both her celebrity and her reputation.